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SUMMIT HOUSE REDUCES USE 39%



The Summit House, a mid size apartment complex in Arlington, MA upgraded their heating system from aging Hydrotherm’s to Lochinvar Knight XL’s last fall.
They installed 3 KBN500 boilers to handle the heating and Squire indirect water heaters for their domestic hot water production. To handle staging a Tekmar 265 control was incorporated into the system.
A review of their gas bill shows a 39% reduction in usage when factoring in degree days. Since this project was funded by American Standard Leasing the owners have improved their cash flow.

Looking for your photos

We are looking for photos of your jobs to add to the site. Just send your photos with a brief description of the job and we will post them here.
email your photos.

Oil Heat America


NORA launches the Oil Heat America website with the interactive H.O.U.S.E to help consumers with energy efficiency. This website has lots of great links and tips for contractors and consumers alike. Visit Oilheat America for more.

Lochinvar Expands Armor Water Heater Line.


The Armor Water Heater which last year earned the Bronze award in the CSE Product of the Year Awards, is making news again with increased number of sizes from 5 to 8 now available as a 150,000, 199,000, 285,000, 399,000, 500,000, 600,000, 700,000 or 800,000. All models have thermal efficiencies up to 98 percent, a stainless steel heat exchanger, 5:1 modulating turndown and the SMART SYSTEM™ operating control. Also new are the seven venting options for all sizes including room air and different pressure zones.
Click here to request more information.

Help Wanted

This guy is looking for a job if you have any openings.

Fuel Savings Analysis Calculator



NORA-Oilheat has a fairly simple to use fuel savings calculator available to download from their website। You can use this to compare the cost savings of several different heating systems at one time।

Is the US next?

Canada to regulate minimum standard for hydronic heating systems

Canada's National Building Code's Standing Committee for Part 9, Housing and Small Buildings, has voted in favour of referencing CSA B214, Installation Code for Hydronic Heating Systems, as an enforceable standard.

The chair of the committee, Richard Peck, said that the standard will help to improve the quality of hydronic heating installations across Canada.

The Canadian Hydronics Council has been working with the Canadian Standards Association to develop the standard for years. The Canadian Hydronics Council Handbook on Hydronic Heating Systems was also referenced as a best engineering practice by the Part 9 Standing committee. It demonstrates best practices above and beyond the minimum requirements of CSA B214.

For a little more info.

Where did the name Lochinvar come from?

I am asked quite frequently about the origin of the name Lochinvar, well it comes from a poem by the Scottish poet Sir Walter Scott. For those of you interested I have posted the poem here.

Oh! young Lochinvar is come out of the west,Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;And save his good broadsword, he weapons had none,He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone;So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.
He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone;He swam the Esk river, where ford there was none;But ere he alighted at Netherby gate,The bride had consented, the gallant came late;For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war,Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.
So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall,Among bride's-men, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all;Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword -For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word -"Oh! come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?"
"I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied;Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide;And now am I come, with this lost love of mine,To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far,That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar."
The bride kissed the goblet: the knight took it up,He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup.She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh,With a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye.He took her soft hand, ere her mother could bar -"Now tread we a measure!" said young Lochinvar.
So stately his form, and so lovely her face,That never a hall such a galliard did grace;While her mother did fret, and her father did fume,And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume:And the bride's-maidens whispered, "'Twere better by farTo have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar."
One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear,When they reached the hall-door, and the charger stood near;So light to the croup the fair lady he swung,So light to the saddle before her he sprung."She is won! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur;They'll have fleet steeds that follow," quoth young Lochinvar.
There was mounting 'mong Graemes of the Netherby clan;Forsters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they ran:There was racing and chasing on Cannobie Lee,But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see.So daring in love, and so dauntless in war,Have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar?

Something for The A/C folks.




The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has recently launched a new website to provide information and hopefully reduce confusion regarding the phaseout of HCFC refrigerants, to enable decision making and to insure compliance with refrigerant laws and regulations.
The website is located at http://www.phaseoutfacts.org/

North American Heating & Energy Expo


The 33rd North American Heating & Energy Expo is coming to Boston, June 9th & 10th at the Hynes Convention Center. Admission to the expo, hosted by the New England Fuel Institute, is free. For more information or to register visit their website.
See you there!

Knight Boiler Service Course

Due to the Overwhelming response we have added another Knight Boiler Service Course on June 17, 2009 at the SG Torrice Company branch in Wilmington, MA. In this course we will discuss troubleshooting and maintaining the Knight boiler. Using our operating display model we will show the functionality of the PC software, discuss the firing and operation sequences of the boiler and finally we will disassemble the boiler.
The course will be from 5:00-7:30 and costs $25.00, to register click here.

Zero Net Energy House

Charlotte, VT - Take a look at the first LEED Platinum house in Vermont that has also documented zero net energy consumption. Check out the Preston Green website for more information and photo's of this house.

Lochinvar excited to be chosen for "This Old House"

Erik and Randy Gitli of Aladdin Plumbing chose two Lochinvar Knight boilers as the heating system for a renovation of a neglected 1904 Renaissance Revival brownstone in Brooklyn, NY and included the redesign of the home's boiler room. This renovation was featured on this seasons "This Old House" episode #2824.

"All of us at Lochinvar are very excited that the KNIGHT was chosen to be part of this renovation project on 'This Old House,'" stated Jeff Vallett, executive vice president for Lochinvar. "With its innovative design and unparalleled energy efficiency, the KNIGHT is a perfect fit for a show that features high quality craftsmanship and the latest in technology – and we couldn't be more thrilled that their home improvement experts agree."

For more information on this install Click Here

Jordan Signature Heating awarded "2009 Business of the Year"

Business NH Magazine has awarded Jordan Signature Heating of Exeter, NH the 2009 Business of the Year award for superior customer service and community support.

Located in Exeter, NH Jordan Signature Heating is the smallest company to ever win the award.

Congratulations to Bill and Anita Jordan.

Jordan Signature Heating

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Can Water Move Too Fast?


That is the title of this month's article by George Carey appearing in Oil Heating Magazine. In this enlightening article George discusses the effect of flow rate on BTU transfer.
Normally the online version of this issue is available only to subscribers. However, this months issue is available to all.


Just follow the link Oil Heating May 2009
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Missed Opportunities

More often than not when visiting contractors these days the discussion turns to the current state of the economy. The downturn has affected all of us, as the American consumer is spending less and saving more.

Since fewer people are upgrading their HVAC equipment we seem to be left with fewer opportunities, or maybe we aren't; All too often as things started tightening up the low bidder would get the jobs, many times in order to do these jobs corners were cut and quality went out the window, this is where the opportunities lie.

Are your technicians looking for the substandard installs the small things such as, leaky duct work, over length flex, miswired controls, undersized piping, etc?

I recently was out with two customers to look at problem installations and was amazed at the number of glaring problems, but worse than that was the fact that in each case the homeowner reported having had several contractors in before hand and they were unable to diagnose the problems. In each case the problems were very obvious but nobody had picked up on them, from the boiler supply sensor on the outside of the pipe insulation to the two zone dampers on the same terminal but with two separate thermostats.

Hydronic System Design & Control


On June 16, 2009 FIA, Inc. will be offering a course on Hydronic System Design & Control presented by George Carey.

Learn about flow rate, Delta T, pipe sizing, circulator selection and placement, Primary/Secondary piping, multiple boiler piping, outdoor reset and much more.

For more on this course or for a registration form send an email to eroche@fiainc.com

What is a Giannoni Mono?


Although it may sound like something that you need a vaccination against, the Giannoni Mono is actually the stainless steel heat exchanger that many of today’s high efficiency boilers are based upon. Giannoni is the leader in Europe and the USA in the condensing boiler heat exchanger market. These heat exchangers are included in the Lochinvar Knight, Burnham Alpine, NTI Trinity and Munchkin boilers.
How do these heat the water? The water ways encircle the burner and as the burner heats up, the heat is transferred as the combustion gas passes thru, causing the initial heat exchange. The cooled combustion gas then passes into a secondary heat exchanger where it condenses and transfers latent heat to the water before being exhausted.

Knight Boiler Service Course


On May 13, 2009 at the SG Torrice Company branch in Franklin, MA we will be hosting a Knight Boiler Service Course. In this course we will discuss troubleshooting and maintaining the Knight boiler. Using our operating display model we will show the functionality of the PC software, discuss the firing and operation sequences of the boiler and finally we will disassemble the boiler.

The course will be from 5:00-7:30 and costs $25.00, to register click here.

Lochinvar SHIELD Commercial Water Heater


With the introduction of the innovative new SHIELD™ commercial water heater, Lochinvar Corporation is making waves by proving that sometimes it's what's not inside that really counts. With inputs up to 500,000 Btu/hr, 96 percent thermal efficiency and storage up to 125 gallons, SHIELD has everything it takes to provide the ultimate green operation – without the risk of lime scale buildup inside the tank.
Greener, Longer
With other commercial water heaters, heat transfer takes place inside the tank through flue tubes or coil-type heat exchangers. As a result, thermal efficiency decreases over time due to lime scale buildup, which gradually drives operating costs up. In fact, as little
as one-fourth of an inch of lime scale on the heat exchanger can increase operating costs by 25 percent and cause tank failure in as little as two years. Designed to provide a 100 percent effective defense against this problem, SHIELD is equipped with the industry's most advanced stainless steel heat transfer system located outside of the tank, ensuring the same high efficiency and low operating costs throughout its life cycle. For More Click Here

ITT Corp. has agreed to purchase Laing


ITT Corp, the parent company of Bell & Gossett, McDonnell Miller, Hoffman Specialties, Goulds Pumps and many others, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Laing GmbH, a privately held producer of energy-efficient plumbing and heating circulator pumps. Once completed, the acquisition will broaden ITT's offering of "green" pump technology. Laing GmbH offers the exciting Ecocirc line of circulators.
The Ecocirc® auto and vario are setting new standards: It is the first speed controlled heating circulator with an Energy Efficiency class A rating and spherical motor technology. The Ecocirc® auto and vario were designed with the highly efficient electronically commutated permanent magnet motor (ECM technology). The flow rate dependent on the differential pressure control, adjusts the pump performance continuously and automatically to the requirements of the heating system.
For more on this circulator Click Here to see Robert Hustlar’s interview with Dan Holohan
For Laing GmbH website Click Here